Autoimmune diseases contain a large number of pathologies characterized by various factors that contribute to a breakdown in self-tolerance. Cytokine-mediated immunity plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of varieties of autoimmune diseases. Recent studies reveal that interleukin-35 (IL-35), a newly identified cytokine of IL-12 family, is implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic sclerosis (SSc), etc. In this review, we will discuss the biological features of IL-35 and summarize recent advances in the role of IL-35 in the development and pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases; the discoveries gained from these findings might translate into future therapies for these diseases.
Background: Malaria has remained a significant global public health problem. Both Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax are prevalent in Pakistan. Currently, comprehensive data on the epidemiology of Plasmodium infections in different districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Province are not obtainable. Aims: This study was done to determine malaria prevalence and assess health facilities for malaria services and to provide the baseline information for malaria control in these areas. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using cluster sampling technique in three districts of KP province. A total of 31 041 individuals, 864 households and 98 healthcare centres were selected for a malaria prevalence survey, parasite net-owning survey and malaria services respectively. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 23. Results: Among all individuals screened for malaria using rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) 4297 (13.8%) were found positive for RDT. The prevalence of P. vivax, P. falciparum and mixed infection was 92.4%, 4.7%, and 2.9%, respectively. The average number of individuals positive 1 / 11 WHO EMRO | Baseline survey for malaria prevalence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan for malaria among the three districts was 238.72 (95% CI: 82.67-394.78). There were significant differences in the prevalence of malaria infection among the districts (P < 0.05). The average number of households owned (44.10%) more than two long-lasting insecticidal bed nets (LLINs). The ratio of Chloroquine and Primaquine usage was high (0.58) compared to the other antimalarial drugs. Conclusions: The prevalence of malaria infection was high in the three endemic districts of KP province. Healthcare facilities of malaria services in these districts were weak. Additionally, the rate of LLINs household ownership was low. Malaria control or elimination strategies should be strengthened in these districts.
IntroductionBy conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis, we investigated the prevalence of neuropsychiatric (NP) symptoms among systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients in Pakistan.MethodsIn this review work, three electronic databases (Web of Science, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar) and local databases were screened for 20 years from 1 January 2002 to 30 September 2022, to identify the articles evaluating the prevalence of NP symptoms in SLE patients in Pakistan. We performed a random-effects meta-analysis to estimate the prevalence of NPSLE. Statistical heterogeneity was measured by the I2 index, and subgroup meta-analyses were used to access the statistical heterogeneity. Furthermore, meta-regression models were used to examine the associations between prevalence estimates and study characteristics of interest. Three independent authors reviewed existing studies, extracted data, and rated the qualities of selected studies. This review was registered on PROSPERO (Registration no. CRD42022361798).ResultsThirteen studies met the inclusion criteria out of the 322 studies with a total of 2,003 SLE patients for this systematic review and meta-analysis. The prevalence of NP disorders in SLE patients was estimated to be 30.42% (95% CI:18.26–44.11%), with cognitive dysfunction being the most common (31.51%; 95% CI:1.28–76.27%), followed by headache (10.22%; 95% CI: 0.00–33.43%), seizures (5.96%; 95% CI: 3.80–8.53%), psychosis (3.64%; 95% CI: 2.38–5.13%), and neuropathy is the least common (0.86%; 95% CI: 0.00–2.74%). The heterogeneity between studies was significant (p < 0.01). The pooled prevalence of NP disorders among SLE patients was found highest in Punjab (41.21%) and lowest in Sindh (17.60%).ConclusionFindings from this study revealed that SLE patients have a high prevalence of NP disorders. The most common symptoms were cognitive dysfunctions, headaches, seizures, psychosis, and neuropathy. Clinicians can manage these potentially deadly and disabling diseases more effectively if they understand the incidence of each NP symptom in SLE patients. NP symptoms among SLE patients are at their peak in Pakistan; policymakers should devise preventive strategies to curb the disease.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record. php?RecordID=361798, identifier CRD42022361798.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.